Wednesday, May 26, 2010

Some days I think the existence of fireball and wish blinds us to the simple fact that first level magic-users kick ass. Here are some brief thoughts on the eight spells any M-U in OD&D can cast.

Detect Magic - Not every magic sword will glow like a lightsaber when drawn from its scabbard. That stick could be a magic wand or a conductor's baton. Is our ally cursed or charmed (see below)? You find a pool of water in the dungeon. Care to find out it's enchanted after you wade into it?

Hold Portal - Knowing the bad guys can't get to you, even for a few turns, is golden in retreat situations. And you want to really mess some NPCs up? Lure them into a house, hold the portals and set the joint on fire. Here's another one: a pit with a hatch is just more flooring while its held.

Read Magic - Worthless scrap of paper or wish scroll? Only the magic-user knows for sure. And the OD&D version specifically mentions that this spell can be used on items. And when you think about it, this spell is the gateway to real ultimate power; all other MU spells flow from this source.

Protection from Evil - Here's an easy way to really piss off an enchanted creature: stand in a doorway with this spell cast on yourself. The creature can't get past you to your non-protected allies, who can then leisurely ready their oil flasks, scrolls, etc. Heck, with 6 turns to work with, they might even be able to take an alternate route to the creature and attack it from behind.

Light - I think almost every DM goes a lot easier on the subject of lighting than they should. I know I do. If we handled torches and lanterns in any realistic way this would be one of the most popular spells ever. You ever try lighting a lantern without matches? How about making an accurate map by torchlight in a drafty catacomb? I think those tasks are approximately one bajillion times harder than we usually run them. And even if you don't want to be a dick about lighting all the time, drop the party into a pool of water and all their normal light sources are suddenly useless.

Charm Person - In OD&D this spell lasts until someone successfully casts dispel magic on the victim. Think about that for a minute. If there is a single MU1 in the campaign world then you pretty much can't trust anyone that might fail a save vs. spells. Smart MUs will probably pick one or two choice victims in any area. Charm too many and you run the risk of a random dispel magic catching one.

Sleep - Get out any old module, the low level kind that comes with a base area like a small town. Look at some of the entries and ask yourself how many of the homes and business would be vulnerable to a single sleep spell. That master burglar plaguing the area isn't a high level thief. Dude's a pipsqueak first level magic-user who peaks in the window, throws sleep, then casually makes off with the tea service and the jewelry box.

"Man, is there anything Jeff CAN'T do when it comes to gaming? This guy is like a critical 20 every roll. Jeff can bite the heads offa five game geeks, including their sorry-ass DM, and spit 'em into a large duffel bag ONE AT A TIME!...that's just the kind of messed up bastard he is! You think yer a gamer, punk? Well..do ya? Jeff will depants your weasel-ass right in front of your grandma."